The role of IL-18 in innate immunity

Curr Opin Immunol. 2000 Feb;12(1):59-63. doi: 10.1016/s0952-7915(99)00051-5.

Abstract

IL-18 - a novel cytokine with potent IFN-gamma-inducing activities - plays an important role in the Th1-mediated immune response in collaboration with IL-12. IL-18 is a member of the IL-1 family. The IL-18 receptor system and its signal transduction pathway are analogous to those of the IL-1 receptor. Mice deficient in IL-18 have demonstrated its critical role in natural killer cell activity and in vivo Th1 response.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-1 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-12 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-18 / pharmacology*
  • Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Mice
  • Models, Immunological
  • Receptors, Interleukin / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-18
  • Signal Transduction
  • Th1 Cells / immunology

Substances

  • Il18r1 protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-18
  • Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Receptors, Interleukin
  • Receptors, Interleukin-18
  • Interleukin-12
  • Interferon-gamma